Rutherford backscattering (RBS) is utilized for obtaining information about surfaces and compositions. The technique comprises directing alpha particles toward a Surface, followed by measurement of properties of alpha particles backscattered from the surface. The measured properties may include, for example, the proportion of alpha particles backscattered, the energy of the backscattered particles, and/or the direction of travel of the backscattered particles.
RBS may be used in the semiconductor industry for quality control analyses. For instance, Rutherford backscattering may be used for determining film stoichiometries, for determining dopant levels within layers, for determining layer thicknesses, etc.
Systems utilized for RBS have an alpha particle source, and one or more detectors configured for detecting backscattered alpha particles. A problem with the systems is that they tend to be large and expensive. It would be desirable to develop new systems suitable for the alpha particle emission and detection of RBS analysis, which are smaller and less expensive than conventional devices.